Chapter 584: Destruction

The intensity of his words startled the ministers below, leaving them all shocked.

It was not as the outside rumors claimed.

The Great Xia Dynasty and the Ascetic Practitioners supported each other.

In fact, every Xia King had to grit his teeth and cooperate with the Ascetic Practitioners.

The contradiction between them has grown to an irreconcilable degree.

If not for needing the Ascetic Practitioners' military strength, the Great Xia would have planned to exterminate them over a thousand years ago.

"Your Majesty! Please calm down...!"

Kneeling on the ground, the Grand Councilor, over sixty, with a grim face, repeatedly kowtowed, trying to persuade the Xia King not to speak so.

Now the Great Xia cannot do without the Ascetic Practitioners; no matter what the Xia King says, it's useless.

These old-era Ascetic Practitioners have recently become increasingly excessive in their actions.

With sorrowful expressions and sincere tones, the officials hurriedly rose and began to advise:

"Your Majesty, once the new Ascetic Practitioners fill the Ascetic Practitioner quota, we will surely turn the situation around."

"Those new Ascetic Practitioners are easier to control than the previous ones."

"Although they are somewhat weaker in strength, their numbers make up for the quality."

"No matter what, they are far stronger than the old-era Ascetic Practitioners who refuse to fight."

Those present made no attempt to hide their feelings.

They were dissatisfied with the old-era Ascetic Practitioners and even wanted to replace them, almost openly.

The reason is simple.

That bunch of old-era Ascetic Practitioners, even if present, would not care what people say.

All they care about is survival.

As for everything else, they don't care at all.

They even say that the extinction of the Ascetic Practitioner lineage doesn't matter; they only care about their own transcendence and survival.

His expression eased considerably.

Xia Xuan nodded slightly, then wearily sat back on the throne.

He was aware of this plan, or rather, he himself had pushed it forward.

Upon realizing that the new-era Ascetic Practitioners could gain power through self-mutilation and self-torture, thereby not needing long tempering of belief,

the Xia King keenly realized that Ascetic Practitioners who gain power this way still retain various desires.

That is, obsession, greed, and madness.

Although there are also negative aspects.

For example, the new Ascetic Practitioners, like mad dogs, many even show a pathological pursuit of power and wealth.

Perhaps in their belief, the more resources they possess, the better they can survive.

The new-era Ascetic Practitioners and the old-era Ascetic Practitioners are almost two different kinds of beings.

But the Xia King does not fear the new Ascetic Practitioners going mad; he fears they will want nothing at all!

Compared to the "national destruction" that the old-era Ascetic Practitioners would cause,

he would rather see the Great Xia destroyed by his own hand.

What's so bad about a madman!?

At least a madman, driven by profit, would dare to fight desperately against the blood corpses!

As for the cost and ill effects of supporting the new Ascetic Practitioners...

If the capital is going to fall, what does Xia Xuan still care about?

After I die, let the flood rage as it may.

Just that.

Upon the throne, Xia Xuan's mood remained somewhat heavy:

"Progress is still a bit slow."

"Moreover, the high-end combat power is still far too lacking."

"Perhaps we can wait for the new Ascetic Practitioners to gradually replace the old ones, but this period... is difficult..."

"My Great Xia's people, I don't know how many more will die in the mouths of corpses."

"I fear that the blood corpses will suddenly launch a major offensive, while this bunch of old Ascetic Practitioners will all avoid battle."

"Then, relying only on the new Ascetic Practitioners, how can we resist..."

After the garrison of the Seventh Fortress announced it was abandoning its post, Xia Xuan realized that the old-era Ascetic Practitioners truly intended to hide entirely.

Although he didn't know what had happened among the Ascetic Practitioners internally,

but he knew.

the time left for him was already short...

Watching the worried Emperor Xia Xuan, the Military Affairs Minister who had first reported the situation suddenly clasped his hands in salute, hesitated a moment, and then said something he had originally not wanted to say:

"Your Majesty."

"Actually, the weakness of the new Ascetic Practitioners' strength may not be unsolvable..."

"Huh!?"

He suddenly lifted his head, Xia Xuan stared fixedly at the speaking minister, and his heart startled with interest.

"What do you mean by that?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the officials all glanced sideways.

After organizing his thoughts, the Military Affairs Minister spoke somewhat hesitantly:

Your Majesty, you should have read the Seventh Fortress's prior battle report.

Among them, one Ascetic Practitioner performed extraordinarily outstandingly, number 99.

One could say he, relying solely on his own strength, turned the tide.

Outsiders are unaware, but you all know.

In that battle, the Seventh Fortress actually had a high chance of falling; the reason is that the defending Ascetic Practitioners never showed up.

Xia Xuan nodded, and he looked at the battle report.

The Ascetic Practitioner numbered 99 described in the battle report truly possesses exaggerated strength.

But...

That Ascetic Practitioner isn't an old-era Ascetic Practitioner, is he?

Number 99—such a designation could only be obtained by an old-era Ascetic Practitioner, right?

Even if he were willing to act, there's no need to think—those old-timers would only make a move when they first received their numbers to enter the Initial Ground.

Afterwards, even if he became stronger, what use would that be?

Some expressed dissatisfaction.

The officials standing beside the Grand Councilor also couldn't help but interject and ask:

What does this have to do with what you said about dealing with the strength of novice Ascetic Practitioners?

No matter how strong that Ascetic Practitioner is, bluntly speaking, he has nothing to do with us!

In fact, the stronger he performs, the more likely he is to affect the novice Ascetic Practitioners.

The Grand Councilor looked at the chattering officials, slightly shaking his head:

Your Majesty, everyone.

Your Majesty, you may not know, this person is named Lin An; rumor has it that his power is not obtained through Ascetic Practitioner training.

But rather, he emerged unexpectedly and quickly gained transcendent combat power.

Not only does he, unlike old-era Ascetic Practitioners who refuse to rely on external things, but when he acts he wields a sword!

As he spoke, a flash of excitement passed through the Grand Councilor's eyes:

Your Majesty, what does this mean?

This means he will be greedy for external things—no, it means he will rely on external things!

His conviction differs from that bunch of old-timers; he can be won over by you!

Furthermore, rumor has it that he actually belongs to the novice Ascetic Practitioners!

Moreover, after learning this news, I secretly sent people to gather information.

As he spoke, his body suddenly shuddered, word by word:

The original Seventh Fortress Infantry and Cavalry Regiment Commander, Zhang Yan, an unknown nobody, after contacting him, became an Ascetic Practitioner!

Moreover, his strength is not inferior to that of old-era Ascetic Practitioners!

And the time taken was only two hours!

The court fell silent; suddenly, nearly everyone present was quick-witted.

Upon hearing this exposition, they instantly grasped its meaning.

So...

Unable to hold back, Xia Xuan stood up, stared hard at the Grand Councilor, and blurted out:

Does this person know how to quickly become a stronger Ascetic Practitioner? Or rather, does he have this ability!?

He drew a deep breath.

The Grand Councilor gazed heatedly at Xia Xuan, nodding firmly:

Exactly!

Your Majesty, after his appearance, within my one month I have actually cultivated dozens of Ascetic Practitioners, and these novice Ascetic Practitioners were originally ordinary people who couldn't even use the new era cultivation methods!

Furthermore, the Ascetic Practitioners he cultivated are all strong and fearless of death!

On recent battlefields, they have performed exceptionally well!

Moreover, he seems not to resist working with us...

Rather than saying this person is like an Ascetic Practitioner, it's better to say he is someone who possesses great power.

After hearing this, Xia Xuan subconsciously flipped through the booklet the Grand Councilor had just handed over, quickly checking it.

After a while, he looked at the description on the battle report, his heart filled with shock.

Fearless of death, braver the more they fight.

The Ascetic Practitioners arising from Lin An can even fight to the death without retreating, completely disregarding death, and can be called perfect war machines.

A long silence ensued.

Xia Xuan's eyes blazed, he swept his sleeve:

Contact him! Are they novice Ascetic Practitioners?

I, have seen his performance!

Pass on my order! Such merit, give him a guardian post!

Go ask him what he wants! I will give him whatever he wants! Such talent, I will surely...

At the Seventh Fortress, Zhang Tie tilted his head, looking at the successive imperial edicts arriving, and at the fawning messenger, he couldn't help but smack his lips.

Team voice:

Lin Dui, the plan is going smoothly.

The Great Xia Dynasty has begun contacting us...

They agreed to hand over the corpses of all soldiers who died in battle, as well as the Ascetic Practitioner corpses we had secretly collected before, to us.

"Just..."

Somewhat dazed, bewildered.

Xiong Hanzi knew what Lin An wanted to do.

As one of the reserved trump cards, Lin An's plan intended to let the entire Great Xia Dynasty...

All the people would take the 'medicine' and become Ascetic Practitioners...

Using mass-produced Ascetic Practitioners, they would charge into the blood corpse coordinates, fighting to the death until only one person remains.

After all, their mission was also to eliminate all Ascetic Practitioners...

This means that, after the plan is activated.

No one will survive.